Friday 28 September 2012 09.23 EDT
First published on Friday 28 September 2012 09.23 EDT

Steven Gerrard has admitted Liverpool's winless start to the season has increased the pressure on the players.

The Anfield club have taken two points from their opening five Premier League matches, which have included home games against the champions Manchester City, Manchester United and Arsenal.

They now face a trip to Norwich on Saturday and then home games with Stoke City and Reading, and Gerrard believes their current low points tally means away draws at places like Carrow Road are no longer acceptable.

"We have a run of games coming up now where there are points we should be taking but the longer it [not winning] goes on the more difficult it is going to get, so it is important against Norwich we take maximum points," said the club's captain.

"If you look at the performances against City and United we should have six [more] points so it is not a case of: 'They're out the way now, let's go beat the sides we should beat.'

"I think what we need to do is keep playing like we have done and hopefully we'll get the rub of the green, get referees' decisions in our favour and we will go on and take maximum points.

"Of course it puts more pressure on us. If we had won against United and beaten City everyone would be saying about how good a result it was at Sunderland [a 1-1 draw].

"But because that win hasn't come it seems as if we dropped points at Sunderland, so it is no good getting a point from these tough away games any more, we need to win them."

Brendan Rodgers believes the United game was a turning point and as they head to Norfolk, where last season Luis Suárez scored a brilliant hat-trick in a 3-0 win, the manager feels things are finally starting to come together.

"We know it is a difficult place to go, the last three seasons Norwich have been strong at Carrow Road, but if we can get the same result as last year we'll be fine," he said. "Certainly our opening five fixtures were always going to be tough but we have that mentality within the group that we have been looking for and the balance in the team is good and the spirit is strong.

"All I can control is our own preparation: the work ethic of the team and the confidence, and ultimately that will lead to success. They have adapted well to what I have been asking them to do, and there is still a lot of improvement to make. I know for sure the rub of the green will come very soon. Hopefully now we can go on a win and get the results which relate to performances."